


A Slight Misunderstanding

by ifwehadamonkey



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, the leo fitz exchange
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-18
Updated: 2015-07-18
Packaged: 2018-04-10 00:38:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4370477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ifwehadamonkey/pseuds/ifwehadamonkey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A misunderstanding leads Fitz to believe Jemma, the scientist from upstairs, can't speak English.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Slight Misunderstanding

**Author's Note:**

> This is my Leo Fitz Exchange gift for wandamaxmioff on tumblr. Trip is merely mentioned, but I couldn't resist throwing him in there. I had a lot of fun writing this. Enjoy!

Week One:

Fitz and Skye started their day as they did most days, with a short walk from the apartment they shared to their consulting offices downtown. Today, as with most days, Skye occupied herself during their walk with a constant stream of conversation, most of which Fitz blocked out.

“Fitz? Are you even listening to me? Fitz!”

“What? Can’t a man enjoy his morning commute without you screaming in his ear?”

“I wouldn’t have had to scream in your ear if you were listening in the first place.”

They both paused at the corner to wait for the crossing signal.

“Anyways, Fitz, if you _had_ been listening to me, you would’ve heard me ask if you’ve met the new scientist from the lab upstairs.”

“There’s a lab upstairs?”

Skye punched him lightly on the arm and joined the crowd flooding the crosswalk.

“Shut up. Have you?”

“No, have you? Why is this so important? I work with the lab sometimes. I’m sure to meet them sooner or later.”

“No, I haven’t actually, but we did sort of do that wave and smile thingy the other day, and it’s not them, it’s a she, a super cute she, actually. You should invite her out with us sometime. I’ll get Trip and we can do a double date deal.”

“No, thank you, I can get my own dates, when and if I want one.”

They reached their building and Fitz reached out and pulled the door open, holding it so Skye could walk through. Skye paused just inside the door and turned to face Fitz, blocking the doorway.

“Okay, so, you just haven’t felt like dating in the past six months?”

“I’ve been busy. Move it.”

Skye just smirked up at him and turned slowly, walking towards the elevators at the back of the lobby.

There was a curvy brunette waiting at the elevator as well. She stepped in, politely holding the doors for them as they rushed forward.

Jemma Simmons watched the pair of them hurry towards her and prayed they wouldn’t want early morning niceties.

Her laryngitis was clearing up, but it still hurt to talk. It hurt to breathe as well, but Jemma refused to sit at home when she was perfectly capable of completing her work in the lab.

She pushed the number five and stepped back, giving them plenty of room to get on and select their floor.

Skye hit number four and turned to Jemma.

“Hi! I’m Skye, and this is Fitz. We’re from Shield Security, fourth floor. You work for The Academy, right? In the lab?”

Jemma fought back the cough she could feel building in the back of her throat and struggled not to stare at Fitz. He had the loveliest pair of blue eyes.

Wait. Skye had asked her a question, hadn’t she? Jemma struggled to focus; too caught up with holding back what she knew would be a hacking cough and the blue eyes of her new neighbor. She felt like she might have done some semblance of a smile and a nod, but to be honest, she wasn’t quite sure.

Skye got an unholy gleam in her eyes and, to Jemma’s surprise, sent her a quick wink.

“Oh. Right. I guess I forgot. I don’t think our new scientist speaks English? I think I heard her speaking French. Or was it Portuguese? Anyways, forget what I said about asking her out earlier.”

Fitz turned a rather alarming shade of red and turned his back to Jemma, tugging Skye closer and leaning down to whisper furiously, if not quietly, “What the hell? How do you know she can’t understand us?”

Jemma quirked an eyebrow at the thick Scottish accent, pleasantly surprised by how much she enjoyed the sound.

Skye patted his arm and sent another glance to Jemma, who shrugged and smiled a little, apparently okay with having a bit of fun with it.

Skye knew Jemma could speak English, the Queen’s English at that. The conversation she’d overheard last week, full of big science-y words, words Fitz would probably understand actually, featured a crisp, posh British accent.

“Clearly, she can’t understand us. She would’ve answered me otherwise. And I actually think she might’ve been speaking Polish or something? Speak any Polish, Fitz?”

“No, I bloody well do not, as you well know. Languages were never my strong point.”

“It’s too bad really. She is super cute, like I said.”

“She’s gorgeous. I don’t know why you’d think I’d have a shot in the first place.”

Jemma was holding back a pleased grin, along with her cough, when the doors opened to the fourth floor.

Fitz stepped out and walked briskly to the double doors that led into Shield Security, swiping his ID and keying in a code.

“Hey, Fitz, I’ll be right back. Gonna grab a latte from the lobby.”

Skye hopped back on the elevator just as the doors were closing and collapsed against the wall, laughing breathlessly.

Meanwhile, the elevator moved up to the next floor and Jemma let out a series of loud, hacking coughs.

“Well, no wonder you couldn’t speak.”

Jemma pulled a water bottle from her bag and gulped some down, soothing her sore throat.

“Sorry about that. It was either stay quiet or cough all over you. I’m Jemma, by the way. Jemma Simmons.”

“Skye Johnson. Look, you don’t have to play along. I’ll come clean. I just couldn’t help it. I live to make Fitz slightly uncomfortable.”

“No, no, it was quite alright. I thought it was rather funny, actually.”

Skye smiled, “Really? Then I can talk you into playing it up a little longer?”

“Oh, well, I don’t know. Fitz didn’t strike me as the sort to laugh it off.”

“Oh, god no, he’s gonna be mortified. Trust me this is great. He’s been a grouch for months. Just a few more days, then we can break the news.”

“Well, if you’re sure. I’m going to be disappointed if he doesn’t ask me out after this.”

“You and me, Jemma Simmons, we’re gonna be really great friends, I can feel it.”

Week Two:

Fitz sat in his own lab, surrounded by the flotsam and jetsam of a mechanical engineer. There were multiple projects in different stages of production, several computer stations, and dead center were two desks facing each other, Skye’s on one side, and Fitz’s on the other, which they called the Hub.

When they first bought the space, the first thing they did was blow out as many walls as possible, turning it into an open floor plan. There were a couple of restrooms with showers on one side, along with a small kitchenette. Both of them tended to work long hours, sometimes overnight, so they planned for that convenience along with the space for both of them to work comfortably together.

Skye was a hacker, the best in the biz. She stayed on the right side of the law by testing the security systems of anyone from your suburban homeowner, to multi-billion dollar corporations. Fitz was an engineer specializing in non-lethal defense systems. Together they had one of the most sought after security consulting businesses in the country. What weaknesses Skye discovered during her analyses, Fitz shored up with new technologies he was constantly developing.

“Fitz, you need to hire an assistant and so do I.”

Fitz answered without looking up from the circuit board he was working on, “No.”

“Listen, you may not mind working 24/7 to keep up with the business, but some of us want to have some semblance of a life outside of work. I’ve had to cancel dates with Trip three times this month.”

“We’re doing okay, aren’t we? Our bills are paid, we’ve got a great dental plan, and two weeks of vacation a year, what do we need with someone new coming into the mix and mucking everything up?”

“Why do you automatically assume bringing someone new in would lead to disaster? And speaking of vacations, it’s been over a year since either one of us has had one.”

Fitz put down his smelter and leaned back in his chair.

“We’re the best at what we do; anyone we’d hire wouldn’t be able to keep up. I don’t have time to babysit. If I had wanted to be a teacher, I would’ve taken the job at M.I.T.”

“Geez, Fitz, they wouldn’t have to be a super genius like you, they’d just have to help out. Weren’t you just complaining the other week about how you wish you had taken more chemistry courses? Wouldn’t it be nice if you had a chemist here?”

“I suppose, maybe. Look, I’ll think about it, okay? Now can I get back to work, please?”

“You can get back to work. I’m going home. It’s past seven already.”

“Past seven? Huh, well, hang on and I’ll walk with you, didn’t realize it was so late.”

They gathered their coats and locked up, waiting on the elevator down.

The doors opened and there she was.

Fitz hadn’t seen her since that first elevator ride last week. He’d certainly thought about her. Hers wasn’t a face you forgot. Today she had her shoulder length hair pulled back into a short ponytail, with a few longer pieces framing her face. She smiled politely and, as before, stepped back to make room for them.

Skye got on first and sent Jemma a wink and a small wave. Fitz got on and resolutely turned his back on her, determined not to stare and make a fool of himself.

“Hey, Fitz, have you ever thought about checking upstairs to see if anyone up there would want to help us out part-time? I mean, you’ve worked with them already, so you know what they’re capable of.”

“Well, I had to do most of the work myself the last time, didn’t I? So no, I haven’t thought about it.”

“I’m sure our neighbor over there would know a thing or two.”

“She doesn’t even speak English, how much help is she supposed to be to me? Besides which, we don’t even know what she does there. Could be an intern for all we know.”

“Since she doesn’t speak English she wouldn’t have to listen to you grumble all the time, so she’d be perfect for you. All the more reason to date her, if you ask me.”

“Girls like her don’t date guys like me, Skye.”

“What do you mean, girls like her?”

Just then, the doors opened and Fitz stepped out, in a hurry to leave the close confines of the elevator and the conversation.

“She’s hot, Skye, and beautiful. That kind of girl.”

Jemma couldn’t hear the rest, as Skye was rushing to keep up with Fitz, who clearly didn’t want to be there.

While it was true that most of her former boyfriends had been of the tall and handsome variety, with nice musculature, she wasn’t averse to dating someone more her height, but taller than her, with nice symmetrical features. In fact, she thought she’d rather enjoy it.

Week Three:

Jemma was sitting through yet another lecture from her supervisor about protocol. Why should she have to wait, and fill out different forms in order to use different chemicals, when she clearly had a better understanding of the work than everyone around her? She was well aware that her sterling academic reputation didn’t afford her special privileges, but it was so frustrating throttling back her own potential to suit the requirements of some faraway legal department.

She let them finish, what else could she do, before moving back to her workstation. Too worked up to concentrate, she grabbed her handbag and left, letting her coworkers know that she was running down to the lobby.

She walked over to the small deli and got in line. She wasn’t hungry when she left the lab, but now that she was here, she realized she was starving. It was nearly three in the afternoon and all she’d had to eat today was a bagel earlier that morning.

“Yes, hello, I’ll have the club salad with a side of whatever fresh fruit you have today. Oh, and a cup of hot tea, as strong as you’ve got.”

Jemma paid and picked up her to-go cup and white paper bag with her order, turning and nearly bumping into the person behind her.

She looked up to apologize and met blue eyes hot with temper. Fitz’s face was flushed with embarrassment, and he looked away and stepped up to the counter without saying a word to her.

Jemma moved away and stood uncertainly in the middle of the lobby. This was all rather awkward and she had never been comfortable with confrontation. Should she just go up? Put off apologizing for another day? Because she most definitely owed him an apology, despite Skye’s claim that he deserved the mortification.

After suffering through the work lecture, Jemma decided she might as well get it over with so she could move on. If there was one thing she disliked more than confrontation, it was leaving a task unfinished.

She watched out of the corner of her eye as Fitz completed his order and picked up his own white deli bag. Afraid he’d avoid her if he saw her before getting on the elevator, Jemma stepped to the side, behind a potted palm, and waited for him to push the button for the elevator.

Fitz angrily jabbed the button for the fourth floor and waited for the doors to shut. Just before they did, _she_ stepped inside, pushing all the buttons for floors one through five.

“Hello. Before you say anything, let me apologize. I shouldn’t have let what started as a misunderstanding carry on into what I see now was a rather tasteless prank. I’m quite sure Skye didn’t mean anything malicious by it, and I’m sorry it’s obviously caused you some embarrassment.”

Fitz listened while impatiently waiting for the elevator to stop at every floor between the lobby and his own.

“My name is Jemma, by the way. Jemma Simmons.”

Jemma waited for Fitz to say something, anything, but he remained silent, refusing to look at her.

“I mean, really, Fitz, the silent treatment is a bit much. I sincerely apologized. The least you could do is look at me and either tell me to bugger off or that you accept.”

Fitz did look over then, surprised at her tone. He was the victim here. Didn’t a person have the right to sulk in silence?

“Apology accepted.”

Was that really all he was going to say? Jemma finally understood the old adage about pulling teeth.

“I was hoping maybe you would join me for a cup of tea, as a peace offering.”

Fitz furrowed his brow, looking down at the cup of tea in his own hand, then over at hers, “Now?”

Jemma looked down, only just now noticing they both held to-go cups, “Oh, no, of course not. I was thinking maybe after work today or perhaps tomorrow if you’ve got plans already. I thought, well, I thought we could make a date of it.”

The doors opened onto the fourth floor and Fitz automatically stepped out, mouth still slightly agape in surprise.

“A…a date?”

Jemma sighed and joined him in the short hallway, letting the elevator continue without her.

“If you’d like. It doesn’t have to be, of course, it’s always nice to meet people from home, or close to home. But I was hoping it would be.”

Fitz swallowed hard and stepped back, nearly tripping over his own feet in the process.

“Um, yeah, sure, a date…a date would be fine.”

Jemma smiled, charmed by his obvious nervousness. What a lovely man.

“Do you have your phone? I could program my number for you.”

“Oh! Um, no, it’s in, on, my desk. Uhh, just, hang on.”

Fitz turned and fumbled with his ID card, nearly keying in the wrong code.

He got the door opened and turned to tell her to wait, but Jemma was no longer standing by the elevator. She was right behind him and they were now standing nearly toe-to-toe.

Jemma watched his eyes dilate and his breath quicken. The sunlight through the small window at the end of the hallway turned his hair and stubble golden, highlighting the elegant planes of his face. She watched his tongue slide out to moisten his lips, and couldn’t stop herself from staring at his mouth.

“Hey, Fitz! Why are you just standing there? Oh, Hi, Jemma.”

Fitz hurriedly stepped back as Skye walked up to join him.

Skye seemed to realize her error nearly as soon as the words left her mouth.

“Uh, Fitz, I see you’ve met Jemma.”

“Yes, I have.”

Skye turned to look at Jemma, “You see? You see what I have to deal with on a daily basis? He’s just gonna continue to be all frowny and grouchy until he’s got me begging for forgiveness.”

“Oh, I’m sure that’s not true. I barely had to do any begging before he accepted my apology.”

Fitz ignored their banter and walked to his desk, picking up his phone. He brought it back over to Jemma, pointedly ignoring Skye and her knowing smirk.

“Well, I’ve got to get back to work. I’d love to come back sometime and look at your lab. Is that dendrotoxin you’re working with?”

“Yeah, just something I’ve been working on.”

“Something he’s been _trying_ to work on. He keeps mumbling about inhibitors and pressured release and whatever.”

“I’d be glad to help out, actually. It sounds much more exciting than what they have me doing upstairs. Testing blind samples! Me?! It’s insulting.”

Jemma turned to go, glancing over her shoulder when she got to the door, “Just send me a text when you decide on the day and time. Bye, Skye.”

Skye watched as the door closed behind a beaming Jemma Simmons.

“You got a date with the hot scientist.”

Fitz sat at his desk and picked up a pencil, idly tossing it in the air and catching it.

“That is none of your business.”

Skye rushed over and hugged him from behind, wrapping her arms around his neck and rocking from side to side.

“Awww, Fitz and Simmons. Fitzsimmons? Fitzsimmons. You guys already have a readymade celebrity couple name and everything. It’s perfect.”

“Will you get off me? We’re going out for a drink later. A cup of tea. It’s no big deal.”

Skye let go and walked around to sit on the edge of his desk.

“See? You should be thanking me. If I hadn’t set this all in motion, she might never have known you thought she was hot and you may never have gone on a date.”

“Shut up, Skye.”

Skye just grinned to herself because Fitz was busy typing into his phone, a goofy smile on his face. Mission accomplished.

 


End file.
